Lest We Forget 2010 – Part IV

Part IV of the five-day series for Remembrance Day 2010. Not a great deal to write today. No big thoughts or views on anyone person, place or event, just some quiet thinking of all the needless death that the great wars have caused. Not that anyone died needlessly, as the lives laid down were important and done for the betterment of others but, just that humankind should cause such needless and thoughtless event and take some many people away from family and friends. The numbers are hard to imagine so, let me put some down here to bring everything into perspective.

When World War I started Canada’s population was estimated at 7.2 million. To give us an idea of the devastation caused here are some WWI numbers;

Estimated Military Deaths (both sides) were 9,721,937

Estimated Civilian Deaths (both sides) were 6,821,248

Estimated of the Wounded (both sides) were 21,228,813

Deaths were 1.75% of the total populations of the Nations involved.

On January 1, 1939 Canada’s population was estimated at 11,267,000. To show WWII’s devastation here are the numbers;

Estimated Military Deaths (both sides) were between 22,576,700 and 25,491,800

Estimated Civilian Deaths (both sides) were between 32,246,500 and 49,532,200

Estimated Jewish Holocaust Deaths were 5,753,100

Estimated Total Deaths were between 62,476,670 and 78,878,170

Deaths were between 3.12 and 4.00% of the population of the nations involved (Poland lost over 16%, The Soviet Union lost over 14% and Germany between 8 and 10.7%).

Crazy stuff. Lest We Forget, Lest We Forget.

Please remember, thanks for reading and Happy Shooting (if that is possible after viewing these numbers).